Oktoberfest is a massive festival joined by hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world that come together for one sole purpose: to enjoy local German beers. You’d think that the festivities would begin in October but they actually start mid-September and end the beginning of October. If you’d ask me what Oktoberfest is like, I’d say it is basically a giant carnival for adults (although children are allowed to attend too). Oktoberfest originated as a celebration of the marriage between Prince Ludwig and Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Although Oktoberfest has free admission, be prepared to spend a lot in order to have a well-rounded experience. Bring cash! Not all of the tents accept card and having cash saves you from the hassle. Never buy a ticket from a third party vendor for a table or for tickets. They’re scammers!First and foremost, you’ll need to book your stay. You’ll want to stay close to public transportation as that is the best way to get to Oktoberfest. The festival is located in the area Theresienwiese, which is located off the U4 or U5. You’ll often hear locals referring to Oktoberfest as “Wiesen”, which is short for Theresienwiese. We stayed at the Marriott, which was walking distance to the underground. There is also the option to camp near the festival but I would not recommend this option. Germany is chilly during Oktoberfest and you’ll want to come back to a nice, warm hotel after. Also, the campgrounds are quite a mission from the actual festival itself (10 minute taxi ride or 30 minutes using public transportation). I recommend using Google Maps before you book your stay in order to see how far you are from the event & which underground lines to take, etc. Once the mayor shouts “O’ zapft is”, which means “it’s tapped”, the festival can begin. The fun lasts from 10 in the morning until 11:30 at night. If you want to reserve a table, you’ll need to do so early. We arrived around 11 am and were able to get seated at a table right away. You just kinda stand around until a table becomes available. Be prepared to wait hours for the food you order. You can order the typical roast chicken, pork and potatoes meal inside the tents. Although beer comes quickly, the food does not. There is also a ton of amazing food outside the festival. We got a bratwurst which was the size of my arm but was absolutely delicious! They even put a little tzatziki sauce on it. Get a huge pretzel during the day to soak up all that alcohol. You’ll also walk around and smell some incredible cinnamon goodness. Those are candied almonds & walnuts. You’ll also see a bunch of gingerbread hearts that you can get your lover’s name on but DO NOT eat these. They are gross and are meant mostly as a souvenir.Enough about food, let’s get to the good part – the beer! The beer at Oktoberfest is served in a liter and has about a 6% alcohol content, which is higher than most beers. The beer costs around 11 euros each. Each beer tent is completely unique and has different vibes. We spent the day hopping from tent to tent. There are so many tents big and small. Below is a list of some tents:Hofbrau Festhalle – Known for lots of energy. A bit more on the wildside. Has the most international visitors.Hacker-Pschorr – Known for their painted ceilings, letting off sparklers in the tent during the closing ceremony and for older crowds. If you don’t want to be around young millenials while you party, then this is the place to be!Augustiner Festhalle – Oldest brewery in Munich. Their tent makes you feel like you’re in a time where there was no electricity.Lowenbrau-Festhalle – Known for the lion that roars at the entrance.Schottenhamel – The oldest running tent.Weinzelt – The wine tent if you need a break from beer!You’ll find that everyone sings and dances while standing on the bench seats, swaying their beers from left to right. Stand on the table if you dare! You’ll be cheered on to down your whole entire beer.If you want to take a break from the day drinking, you can walk around to play carnival games or ride the rides. However, this is where they get you on price. The rides cost roughly 9 euros for just a single ride. If you go to Oktoberfest on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the rides are actually half off for family days.Do not take a nap on the grass at the festival! The ground has pee, puke and beer all over it. Don’t be that person.Don’t be alarmed when you see a couple people next to you looking like they are doing cocaine. They are actually doing Wiesn Koks, which is a combination of methanol and sugar. It costs about 5 euros and they sell it at the event. I wouldn’t recommend snorting it. One of the best parts of Oktoberfest is to dress up! If you aren’t dressed up, you’ll definitely stick out. You’ll want to dress as traditional as possible.

Read the rest of the guide here: https://exploreeffortlessly.com/a-complete-guide-to-oktoberfest-in-munich-germany/

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